The Road Less Traveled
by Greaserfreak
Summary: Sequel to Searching. Chris thought life would be easier once he found what he was searching for. Instead, he finds that the choice he made isn't always easy as everyday temptations cause him to question and doubt his decision.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders.

"It's still hard to believe that he's gone," Steve commented as we looked at the stone that marked our friend, Sodapop's grave. "I still expect to hear Darry say that Soda's returning and things wil be like they were."

I didn't reply as I laid the flowers my mom had picked from her garden on the grave. It was never easy going to the grave site.

"Chris, did Ponyboy say why he didn't want to come with?" Steve looked at me.

"No," I replied. "Maybe it's still hard for him. It can't be easy to lose your parents, two close friends and a brother in such a short period of time."

"I guess you're right," Steve sighed. "I just wish the kid wouldn't hold back what he's feeling so much. He should talk to Jeff."

"He doesn't know Jeff."

Steve knew what I meant. Even though Ponyboy had met Jeff several times, he didn't know him well enough to share just anything with him. Not like he could with Soda.

I glanced at Steve who was now looking at the stone that marked where Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were buried. He still looked like the tough greaser that Soda introduced me to when I first moved to Tulsa, but I had gotten to know him better over the past several months. It was hard to believe that I used to think that he didn't dig me and I felt guilty for thinking that he was a jerk. Once I got to know Steve, I found that he's a good guy and that he does care about his friends, including Ponyboy.

"Maybe you should talk to him," I suggested.

"What?"

"Why don't you talk to Ponyboy?" I asked. "He knows you and both of you were close to Soda."

"I don't know, Chris," Steve sighed. "I'm just not good at that sort of thing. Besides, I hardly see Pony anymore. Not unless he's with you."

"He's coming with us to youth group tomorrow," I said. "At least think about it."

"Alright, but I'm not making any promises."

I followed Steve to his car, knowing that he wasn't sure if Ponyboy would even listen to him if he tried to talk to him. They were never close, although they were getting along better. I guess neither of them knew how to talk about Soda.

"I forgot to thank you for coming here with me," Steve said as he drove out of the cemetery.

"It was no problem," I told him. "Soda was my friend, too."

Steve gave me a small grin. "Yeah, and if it weren't for him, we wouldn't be friends."

"If it weren't for Soda, I don't know where I'd be right now," I said.

Steve glanced at me.

"Maybe I would have ended up in Tim's gang," I continued.

Nah," Steve said. "You wouldn't have made it in the Shepard gang. You probably would have met Ponyboy at school and met the rest of us that way."

"Or our folks could have forced the two of us to do something together," I commented.

"I guess."

I turned my attention to the window and watched the houses and other buildings go by. Everything was familiar to me and it was hard to imagine life away from Tulsa. It almost seemed hard to believe that only a few years ago, I was still living in a small Minnesota town.

"Do you want to see what Two-Bit's up to?" Steve asked.

"Hasn't he been spending more time at Buck's?"

"Only on weekends," Steve replied. "He's been working at the bowling alley."

"I didn't know that," I said.

"You're usually at the DX while he's there," Steve explained. He had helped me get a job at the DX station shortly after I turned sixteen. Now, he worked Soda's old hours while I worked after school and on weekends.

"He should come to church with us," I said.

"Jeff and Aaron said to give him and Pony time," Steve reminded me.

"True," I agreed. "But Ponyboy comes with us sometimes. Two-Bit on the other hand, usually makes up some excuse not to go."

"He's come with us a few times."

Steve didn't mention that those few times were right after Soda's death. None of us knew how to react to the news. I had been glad to see Steve make the decision that Soda and I had made several months before Soda was killed. Even Ponyboy had made the decision, but he was having a harder time with it. Not that I blamed him. If I lost as many people as he had in a short period of time, I'd probably be questioning God, too.

I had surprised me when Steve had made the decision to accept Christ because he had made it clear that he wasn't going to decide anything unless he had the answers he wanted. He had always had his own ideas on things and liked them to go the way he wanted them to. But when Soda died, I guess Steve knew that he could no longer wait to make a decision. Life was too short, and losing his best friend was a cruel reminder of that.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve pulled up in front of Two-Bit's house and glanced at me before we got out of the car. "Let's hope he's home."

Two-Bit's sister, Karen, answered the door. She was six months younger than Ponyboy and good friends with Angela Shepard. Very few people could tell that she and Two-Bit were brother and sister. Ponyboy told me that's because she looks like their father who had left them when she was still a baby.

"Hey Karen," Steve greeted her. "Is Two-Bit here?"

"He's on the couch, sleeping," Karen replied. "Would you like to come in?"

Steve and I entered the house and sat on the living room floor since Karen had sat in the old rocker and Two-Bit was stretched out on the couch.

"How's Angela?" I asked just to make conversation.

"She's trying to get back together with Bryon," Karen replied while rolling her eyes. "Bryon won't pay attention to her, though."

"Smart guy," Steve muttered and Karen threw a pillow at him.

I glanced over at Two-Bit who was still sleeping on the couch. "I don't think I've ever seen Two-Bit this quiet."

"Yeah?" Karen asked with a smirk. "Well, enjoy it while you can because knowing him, it won't last."

"So, what have you been up to, Karen?" Steve asked.

"Not much. Just the usual stuff. School, homework, and going to Angela's." She tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear and reached for the bottle of Pepsi on the table next to her. "There's more soda in the ice box if you two want any."

Steve stood up and went to get us some soda since he was more comfortable at Two-Bit's house than I was.

"There's a party at the river on Saturday night," Karen announced when Steve returned. "Are you guys going?"

"Yup!" Two-Bit sat up and looked surprised to see me and Steve there. "I t can't be a party if I'm not there."

"I can't argue with you there, buddy," Steve said with a knowing smile.

"What about you and Chris?" Karen asked.

"I don't go to those parties," I replied and Steve slowly nodded in agreement although both of us wanted to say that we would go. A party did sound like fun.

"Ponyboy is going," Karen said. "Curly invited him."

"It's nice to know that someone other than me knows how to have a good time," Two-Bit commented.

"Pony doesn't drink," I reminded him. "Darry would kill him if he did."

"I know," Two-Bit said. "But at least he goes to parties. The two of you don't. Not since you made that dumb decision you keep blabbing about. What good is that choice if you can't have any fun?"

"What in the world are you talking about?" Karen asked.

"You didn't know? Chris and Steve found Jesus," Two-Bit said. "Now they have to be perfect and not do anything wrong."

I let out a short laugh. Not because it was funny, but from Two-Bit's point of view, it was probably true. Steve and I had changed since we made the decision. If the party had happen six months earlier, Steve would have gone without a second thought. He even might have had a beer or two just to look tough. And it wasn't like we wanted to say no to the party. We just knew that it wasn't the best thing for us to go to. Especially since there was a lot of drinking and who knew what else going on at those river parties.

"You know that's not true, Two-Bit," Steve said although he didn't sound very convincing. "Besides, what's wrong with wanting to live a better life than what we've been living? Can you honestly say that partying makes you happy?"

"There's nothing wrong with change," Two-Bit replied. "I just wish it didn't always happen so fast."

"I dig," I said. "And no one is forcing you to decide anything. You know that."

Two-bit grinned at me. "I have thought about going to that church again, but with mom's work schedule and mine, it's hard. Plus, I have to keep Karen here under control."

"Try the other way around," Karen retorted.

"I'd be more inclined to agree with Karen," Steve whispered to me and I laughed.

Karen picked up the phone. "I'm going to call Angela and see what she's doing. Maybe she can come over."

"That means I'm leaving," Two-Bit announced. "I am not going to spend an evening with two girls gushing over how cute some boy is."

Karen rolled her eyes at him before turning away.

"We could go to the bowling alley," I suggested.

"On a Thursday?" Two-Bit asked. "No one bowls on a Thursday unless they're on a league."

"It was just a suggestion," I said as the three of us walked out of the house. "Besides, it's not like you have anything better to do."

"We could go to Darry and Ponyboy's," Two-Bit replied. "We haven't seen them in a while."

"Darry had to work," Steve sighed.

"And Pony is doing something with Curly," I added as we piled into Steve's car.

"How about going to Jay's for a burger?" Steve asked.

"That sounds good," Two-Bit replied and I nodded in agreement. It had been awhile since we had gone to Jay's to get burgers and cokes. It would be nice to go out again with Two-Bit since we hardly saw him since Soda died. After Soda passed, the rest of us sort of drifted off. Steve and I became close friends and I still spent time with Ponyboy, but seeing Two-Bit and actually doing something with him was next to impossible. He always assumed that Steve and I would talk about church and that bored him.


End file.
